Horai & Botaa : Introduction

The Xorai Botaa is one of the most iconic traditional artifacts of Assam. Crafted from bell metal, it represents dignity, respect, and cultural pride in Assam society. Traditionally designed as an offering tray with a stand at the base, the Xorai plays an important role in religious rituals, social ceremonies, and especially in honoring guests during felicitations. In Assamese and Ahom culture, presenting a Xorai symbolizes warmth, hospitality, and reverence. It is commonly used to offer betel nuts (tamul), betel leaves (paan), sweets, and other ceremonial items. Some Xorais come with decorative covers, enhancing their aesthetic and ritual significance, while others remain open in form. Interestingly, similar concepts of elevated offering trays and ceremonial vessels can also be found in other parts of Asia, particularly in China and regions of Southeast Asia, reflecting a broader shared cultural tradition of honoring guests and making ritual offerings.

"While Xorai and Bota share the same materials and basic design, they have evolved into two distinct artifacts used for ritualistic and daily purposes, respectively", the Xorai is a stand with a flat dish on top, while the Botaa is a bowl-like container often used together with it.

History

The Xorai and Bota  are sacred artifacts rooted in an ancient lineage shared by Chinese and Tai communities. The recognizable "bowl-on-a-stem" silhouette first appeared in China during the Neolithic period as the Dou (豆). This architecture—a functional bowl mounted on a formal stem—dates back approximately 6,000 to 7,000 years (c. 5000–4000 BCE), with its primary shape being perfected by the Yangshao and Dawenkou cultures. It was later, during the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE), that the Dou vessel became a truly famous and representative symbol of Chinese ritual culture.

Both artifacts are based on the Neolithic period.

Both artifacts are based on the Zhou dynastry

In Zhou society, life was governed by the code of Li (ritual propriety). Within this system, the Dou was far more than simple tableware; it was a Ritual Vessel used to communicate with ancestors. The Zhou people believed that serving their ancestors correctly through these vessels secured divine blessings, such as protection and bountiful harvests. Conversely, any ritual failure was viewed as a breach of the Mandate of Heaven, inviting divine displeasure in the form of famines or floods

The Dou vessel primarily integrated into the history of the Guangxi region approximately 2,200 years ago, during the transition between the Warring States period (475–221 BCE) and the Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE). During the Warring States period, the Dou evolved from a humble religious dish into a fierce symbol of political defiance and military rank. As the central authority of the Zhou kings collapsed, powerful regional lords began ignoring ancient laws to commission elaborate bronze vessels that signaled their own "right to rule." This era turned the Dou into a tool of conspicuous wealth; the more intricate and numerous a leader's vessels, the greater his perceived power in the eyes of his rivals.

Both artifacts are based on the Han dynastry Late Warring States - China 162 BC.

Third Dou artifact Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

A significant shift occurred during this time with the rise of the Southern "Chu" Style, which directly influenced the Guangxi region. Because bronze was increasingly diverted for the manufacture of weapons, craftsmen perfected Lacquerware Dou—striking red-and-black wooden vessels that were lighter, more decorative, and symbolized the elite status of the southern nobility. These artifacts became vital historical records, as generals often engraved accounts of military victories onto their bases. Ultimately, the Dou in this period represented the transition from religious piety to territorial ego, serving as a "medal of honor" for the warriors and kings who fought to unify China. The Kingdom of Chu (楚) is the primary kingdom credited with bringing the Dou artifact and its ritual culture into the Guangxi region during this era.

This set the stage for the "Great Westward Migration" of the Tai-Kadai people from Guangxi to the Ruili (Mong Mao) region, one of the most transformative demographic shifts in Asian history, occurring primarily between the 8th and 13th centuries CE. This movement was not a sudden invasion, but a strategic, "leapfrog" expansion of river-valley civilizations seeking political independence and fertile land. The migration gained momentum during the Tang and Song Dynasties as the Chinese empire pushed south to consolidate the Guangxi and Guizhou regions. The ancestral Tai groups (then known as the Baiyue or Luo Yue) faced heavy taxation and cultural assimilation, leading large clusters of families and clans to move westward. They followed the natural corridors of the Pearl River and Red River tributaries, settling one valley and cultivating it before sending the next generation further west.

As these groups reached the high plateaus of Yunnan and the low-lying basins of Ruili, they developed a unique political structure called the Mueang. Unlike the centralized Chinese empire, the Tai migrants formed a network of semi-independent city-states situated in fertile, mountain-ringed valleys. By the 11th century, the Nam Mao (Ruili) River valley became the most critical hub of this migration. Here, the various clans unified to form the Mong Mao Kingdom. Ruili served as a "cultural laboratory" where traditions brought from Guangxi—such as wet-rice farming and stilt-house architecture—were refined into a powerful state identity. Crucially, the migrants carried the Dou artifact from Guangxi as a central part of their cultural and spiritual practice. In the local Tai-Shan language, this pedestal vessel is called the Hsun-ok (ဆွမ်းအုပ်). This artifact was used as a sacred offering tray to communicate with ancestors and spirits, ensuring the protection of the new settlements. By carrying the Hsun-ok, the migrants maintained a physical and ritual link to their ancestral homelands, using the elevated base to signify the high status of the items placed upon it. This cultural practice of using the Hsun-ok for offerings became so deeply embedded that it survived the journey into the Shan State.

 Hsun-ok (ဆွမ်းအုပ်)

The migration of the Ahom people, led by Prince Sukapha in the early 13th century, was far more than a relocation of people; it was the transport of a complete civilizational blueprint. When Sukaphaa departed from Mong Mao (Ruili) in 1215 CE, he carried with him the "cultural seeds" of the East—most notably the sacred ritual pedestal vessel. This artifact, which shared its structural DNA with the ancient Chinese Dou and the Shan Hsun-ok (ဆွမ်းအုပ်), was destined to become the most iconic symbol of the Brahmaputra Valley: the Xorai. Sukaphaa’s trek across the rugged Patkai Mountains served as a physical bridge between the river-valley cultures of Southeast Asia and the plains of India. His followers—priests, nobles, and craftsmen—carried these high-pedestal trays as essential tools for both governance and spirituality. In the early Ahom courts, the vessel was used to hold the royal insignia and sacred offerings to the ancestors, physically elevating these items to signify their divine importance. This practice was a direct continuation of the ritual logic born in the homelands of Guangxi, where the vessel first emerged as a medium to connect the earthly and spiritual realms.

Upon the establishment of the Ahom Kingdom in 1228 CE, the artifact—now evolving into the Xorai & Botaa—deeply reshaped the social fabric of Assam. Under the influence of Ahom administration and metallurgy, the Xorai & Botaa was transformed from a simple Southeast Asian wooden tray into a masterpiece of bell metal (Kanh) and brass. The Ahoms integrated this artifact into the very heart of Assamese society, mandating its use for Paan-Tamul (betel nut) offerings, which effectively standardized the rules of social respect across diverse tribal communities. It became a powerful symbol of sovereignty and diplomacy, where no guest was welcomed and no treaty signed without the presentation of a Xorai. This established a standardized etiquette that transformed Assamese hospitality into a formal, sacred ritual. Furthermore, the Xorai became the "throne" for the Bhagavata in the Namghars, providing Assamese spiritual life with a physical center that separated the sacred from the mundane. Ultimately, Sukaphaa’s greatest legacy was the planting of a ritual object that could bind diverse communities together. Whether crafted from brass or the locally prized bell metal (Kanh), the Xorai moved beyond the royal court to become a household necessity and the ultimate mark of respect. Born from the ancient Dou and the Hsun-ok, the Xorai stands today as the "soul of Assam," proving that a single artifact can carry the history of a 2,000-mile migration within its elegant, bell-shaped base.

Ahom kingdom Era artifact Xorai & Botaa

Legacy

The legacy of the Xorai and Botaa is defined by their transformation from exclusive royal artifacts into the shared heartbeat of the Assamese people. As the Ahom Kingdom expanded, these objects were not merely imposed; they were strategically adopted by indigenous groups like the Chutia, Moran, and Motok. These communities, possessing their own rich traditions, integrated the pedestal vessel into their social fabric, creating a universal "etiquette of respect." By standardizing the offering of Paan-Tamul (betel nut) on a Botaa, the Ahom administration used these objects as diplomatic tools to bridge the gap between diverse tribes, effectively stitching together the cultural landscape of the Brahmaputra Valley.

However, the most profound evolution occurred during the 15th and 16th centuries through the spiritual revolution of Srimanta Sankardev. Recognizing the power of these symbols, Sankardev adopted the Xorai and Botaa from the Ahom culture sphere to anchor his Ekasarana Nama Dharma (Neo-Vaishnavite movement). By placing the holy Bhagavata upon a Xorai in the center of the Namghar, he signaled that the divine was accessible to all, regardless of caste or tribe. In this sacred space, the Xorai became the "Great Equalizer"—a vessel from which Prasad was distributed to every devotee sitting as equals on the floor. Ultimately, this "spiritual baptism" transformed the Xorai from a symbol of territorial sovereignty into a symbol of social unity.